Excellent Reply by Redeye
https://ask.fm/xReDeYe/answers/1348...ter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=answer_own
https://ask.fm/xReDeYe/answers/1348...ter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=answer_own
okay paul . how do you think about james response to valve ?
I've read the entire thing James wrote up despite it being almost a small paperback novel. Let's be clear right away, I am not a fan of how James does things in regards to hosting, in fact, we are pretty much at opposite ends of the scale when it comes to how we think it should be delivered. But, thats ok, there is room in the world for different opinions and different styles and I think in an odd way we probably compliment each other in areas neither of us are very good at and ones we are.
So that said, there is a lot in what James says that I don't agree with (mainly how to prepare for an event, what to put in to prep, how to treat production, overall making decisions without consulting the client and what goes in to the show if its not your responsibility). And I absolutely didn't enjoy the banter and jokes in the opening of the first day or the use of the strong language. I just don't feel it fits a major tournament like this, but I do appreciate a lot of people did enjoy it.
But despite disagreeing on style and presentation I do feel James has more than a fair point regarding what he was told. If a client tells me they want a specific style, I have no issue in delivering that. Likewise, if they tell me to just be me, that also works. But if I am then removed from the position for doing exactly that, I think I have a right to feel aggrieved, as James does.
It's slightly different of course because it's come from different sides of the company, so while James says "Valve told me to be myself", actually, IceFrog told him to be himself and Gabe didn't like the result. Absolutely you can argue it's from the same company and therefore James rightly feels upset by that and I stand by him on that point.
I also felt initially that this was just James being James, but as it was pointed out to me the longer the first day went on, it seemed James was being purposely provocative as if to make a point and that was always going to be a risk going beyond even what he is famed for. If he also knew that people might be out to discredit him at Valve, why take the risk of irking them further?
Yes James is popular and has an amazing persona in esports and we need people like this to entertain, but I also think it's fair to say he went too far at the wrong tournament, but in his own mind did nothing wrong, so yes it's going to cause issues.
I think his response is a very passionate, open-hearted reply on the subject and must have taken a great deal of thought and arguments in his own head to write. We should respect that and at least understand the situation from his point of view. It's very hard sometimes in esports to understand the pressures put on talent in highly challenging production scenarios. I'm not making excuses for his behavior, but I think its healthy to understand everything he has done in esports and not just use one moment to define him. For all the hype around his blunt persona, he can also be the most compassionate in esports.